SHA-256 hash of a string in Python 3

hash.py

#!/usr/bin/env python3

import hashlib

def hash_string(string):
    """
    Return a SHA-256 hash of the given string
    """
    return hashlib.sha256(string.encode('utf-8')).hexdigest()

Hey, is there a way to reduce the number of hash values you get without affecting the encryption.

@newtfrank You can truncate the hash value (take only a subset of the returned string and use that), but if you take too much of it out, it will negate the useful properties of the hash function. Here are a couple of StackExchange answers talking about when truncation is safe (and when it might not be): [1] [2]. Also take a look at this page for a bit of background on hash functions and the difference between them and encryption. Cheers!